Tag Archives: president uchtdorf

Well, another conference has come and gone. I think my favourite talks of the conference were Elder Andersen’s talk on faith and President Uchtdorf’s talk about making our church experience more meaningful.

Probably the most touching thing about conference was seeing President Monson struggle through his talk Sunday morning. He seemed to shrink physically before our eyes, but his Spirit was strong and he was determined to finish.

As always, I loved the music. All of the choirs sounded great. I had tears come to my eyes during one of the congregational hymns. The camera showed a group of people doing sign language. I’ve never seen that before. There wasn’t just one person signing so people knew what was being sung. The whole section was signing together. In effect, they were all singing! I loved that.

Well, I hope you all got something out of conference. I sure did, and I look forward to pondering on these things in the coming months

Well, another 6 months, another conference, another 10 hours (11 if you count The World Report). I think my favourite session was Saturday morning. President Uchtdorf’s talk inviting people to return was excellent. I personally know some people who that applies to. I hope that some how they get the message.

I followed the #ldsconf hastag on Twitter, and found that it added a lot to my viewing. If I missed something, almost certainly someone tweeted it.

As usual, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was spectacular!

I definitely felt the Spirit through many of the messages. I look forward to reading the messages again in the Ensign, and using various passages as I visit the wards in my stake.

I was going through some drafts that I had, and this one stuck out. Apparently 2 years ago we had a Canada-wide Stake Conference that was broadcast from Salt Lake City. Well, here we are 2 years later, and we have one this coming Sunday. I figured that I might as well post the notes that I typed up (but never posted) from the conference from 2 years ago, and then I’ll post the current notes next week. Obviously I paid a lot more attention to the Saturday broadcast than the Sunday one. I was still the bishop of the ward at that time, and the Saturday session essentially took the place of the local Priesthood Leadership session.

Saturday

Elder Pace

We can’t receive too much counsel

Melchizedek Priesthood quorums are lacking because they are failing to tap into the power of the quorum

our leaders try to prime the pump of revelation, but we need to receive the revelation from deity

Elder Ballard

Q) how we do combat pornography

A) we draw a line in our minds over which we will never step

stop, repent, quit, draw the line

make a resolve and commitment with the Lord that you will not step over into the devil’s playground

pornography will destroy your spirituality

if this is an issue, stop it today

be careful on other sites as well (like Facebook)

stay on the Lord’s side

Matthew 25 – do not be a goat

President Uchtdorf

he has lived more of his life in districts than in stakes

don’t wait to make an impact in the lives of our children

in today’s world, don’t trust the compass the world is offering

trust the Holy Ghost

spoke of compass ambiguity as he traveled in northern Canada (has been to Frobisher Lake and Goose Lake)

use the time you have in your calling

don’t dare say “if only I was the…”

1 Samuel 10 – the Lord will turn us into another man

there is no small calling in the Church

Sunday

111 downlink sites

10 + languages

my son asked if there was another episode

Elder Pace on both days called Elder Ballard by the name Russell M Ballard

President Uchtdorf was very fidgety

Truly a united nation of the Church

800+ missionaries

President Uchtdorf said that sometimes we have to look for something different to see the true identity. Bald Eagle, golf balls

I’ve said this before, and I’ll probably say it every conference… I have a hard enough time getting through 10 hours, how do the apostles and First Presidency make it through?!

So, after 10 hours of General Conference have gone by, and I’ve had a few thoughts:

I was surprised with the number of talks about choice, agency, and accountability. I wonder if that means anything.

I commented in the beginning that I preferred the old Move Networks player, and I still think that. The Flash version wasn’t as smooth.

My favourite talks of the conference were probably Elder Kearon and President Uchtdorf from the Priesthood Session, Elder Oaks from the Sunday Morning General Session, and Elder Holland, Brother McConkie, and President Uchtdorf from the Saturday Morning General Session

I went to Church a little early today. I had to do an interview before the main broadcast. I went with my sons who sat and watched the Music and the Spoken Word broadcast while I was in the interview. By the time I was done my wife was there with my daughter, and we all got to sit together (one of those few times in the year).

As indicated in the write-up for the Saturday afternoon session, I watched that one at home. I had to be at the Church by 6:15 pm (Eastern time), so I left about halfway through Elder Scott’s address and picked up my father. We both had to be at the YM sub-sational which started at 7:00 PM (I had a meeting before then).

The sub-sational was great, with around 15 YM attending with their fathers. Include the YM leaders, the missionaries and the bishopric, and we probably had 30 people there. Good times for sure!

My father has always taken me out after the Priesthood Session of conference, and that tradition continues. Even after eating a couple of subs, we went out afterward to Boston Pizza and had some chicken wings and cactus cut potatoes. As to me as I dropped him off at home, “Good conversation, good company.” Thanks Dad!

Wait, what’s up with the audio? I can hear the choir, but no voiceover, and nothing from President Eyring (who is conducting)…

Phew! There is audio now.

In general (and not because of the audio problem that has been resolved), I prefer the Move Networks plugin that the Church used to use for these broadcasts. I find this Flash (Brightcove) plugin is choppy.

Now that General Conference is over, here are a few random thoughts/notes:

best line of the conference (in my opinion) was when President Monson said that “your future is as bright as your faith”. That really puts things back on us

Elder Andersen seemed very humble. I’ve read some grumblings on the Internet about how he’s another white guy from Utah. That may be true, but it doesn’t mean that he’s not the man whom the Lord wants

The Church had about 265,000 convert baptisms in 2008. During the press conference, Elder Andersen said that over 40,000 convert baptisms were in Brazil. If those numbers are true and are talking about the same sorts of statistics, that is amazing that around 1/6 of the convert baptisms in the Church are happening in one country

The music was great as always. I thought “Sweet Hour of Prayer” during the Sunday Morning session was perfect.

There seemed to be lots of “pep” talks… talks that encouraged us to be strong, endure, and have faith

Isn’t President Uchtdorf is great?!

A kid in my ward wore a Batman mask during the Sunday morning session

There were several talks on the temple. I guess this ties into the “pep” talks above. Go to the temple and feel the strength there.

There were fewer talks on budgeting than I expected

I have a hard time getting through all 10 hours. I don’t know how the people up on the stand do it.

Read the recaps from the sessions of the 179th Annual General Conference

I ended up going to the Church this morning sans family for the first session. Two of our three kids are sick, and so my wife stayed home with them. I left a little early as I had an interview before. I also had an interview afterward. It was nice being able to refer to the talks in providing some counsel. Overall, we had 100 people at Church for the broadcast.

President Thomas S. Monson conducted

The choir music was awesome!

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf ** might use this as a 4th Sunday lesson **

today is Palm Sunday

the flame of new theories fade

the gospel is the ultimate formula for happiness and success

stay with it

we don’t go after eternal life in a sprint… we endure

for some, spectator discipleship is preferred

we need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach

gospel has the power to fill any emptiness

Elder Neil L. Andersen

knows with perfect clarity that Jesus is the Christ by the power of the Holy Ghost

note: he was very humble while speaking

he knows he is not what he must become

expressed gratitude and bore testimony

Elder Steven E. Snow

get on with life

change is an essential part of life

follow the prophets

have faith

be of good cheer

Sister Barbara Thompson

the time is far spent

increase our faith

no matter what our families look like, we can strengthen our own families, or help strengthen other families

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland ** might use this as a 4th Sunday lesson **

spoke of those who are lonely

recounted Christ’s last week

Christ said “why has thou forsaken me”, but the Father was probably closer than at any other time

President Thomas S. Monson ** might use this as a 4th Sunday lesson **

since last conference, the world has changed

moral footing is slipping

would be easy to become discourage

blessings as members of the Church

how do we have joy despite the challenges we face?

though the storm clouds gather, our love of the gospel will sustain us